[THE INVESTOR] Hanmi Pharmaceutical is expected to receive a series of milestone payments from overseas partners as its drug candidates are set to make progress in clinical studies this year, according to analysts on Jan. 8.

A total of eight potential drugs developed by the Korean pharmaceutical company are likely to enter clinical programs in 2018. 

“Hanmi Pharmaceutical will create great R&D momentum as its candidates deep in the drug pipeline, which were licensed to global drug makers, will show their clinical results this year,” said Hong Ga-hye, an analyst at Daishin Securities

The company’s partner Spectrum Pharmaceuticals will present top-line data for its phase 3 clinical trials with SPI-2012, a long-acting Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor drug, which the US company in-licensed from Hanmi for the January-March period this year. SPI-2012 is a treatment for persistent neutropenia based on Hanmi’s proprietary Lapscovery technology. It allows an injection in each cycle of chemotherapy.

In February, Hanmi is slated to begin its phase 1 clinical program on nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis therapy HM15211 after filing an Investigational New Drug application with the US Food and Drug Administration in December last year.

Two potential drugs -- a treatment for hyperinsulinemia and acute myeloid leukemia -- are preparing for phase 1 studies in the second quarter. From the third quarter, Hanmi will get milestone payments for potential therapies it signed license deals with global pharmaceutical firms, such as Genentech and Janssen.

Janssen -- Johnson & Johnson’s pharma arm -- is expected to complete phase 1 trials in the September-December period for HM12525A, a diabetes drug candidate developed by Hanmi.

The interim findings from the phase 2 studies of rheumatoid arthritis HM71224, which was out-licensed to Elly Lilly, are also expected between September-December.

By Park Han-na (hnpark@heraldcorp.com)